Apparatus for shelling nuts



' July 8, 1941 IR. BA'lNr-:R ETAL 2,248,327v

APPARATUS FOR SHELIIJING' lNUTS` I Filed April 8, 1940 s sheeis-sneet 1 Ilm l IN VEN TORS. fai/nw A TTORNEY July 8, 1941. R. BAlNl-:R ETAL' APPARATUS FOR SHELLING NUTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8. 1940 on 4 dw INVENTORS @my @www ATTORNEY.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3 msu/nab,

gamwaunvnq R. BAINER ErAL APPARATUS Fon sHELLING NUT;

Filed April 8 1940.

`N om "N mw Asezese July 8,1941.

5. awzdal BY ATTORNEY v Patented July 8, 1941 rss -Para 'fr ferries APFARATUS FOR. SHELLING' NUTS Roy Rainer and'Charles Eka'rbee, assignors to The Regents ofthe Davis;v Galif., University 'of .California-Berkeley, Calif.,a corporation of lCalifornia 7 Claims.

' 'This'invention'relates ingeneralto the art of `'lfbreakingand removing `the Jhardputer covering Iof a nut, or similar object, andmore particularly to an apparatus for shellingnutsrin-Which comy-bustion lof 1 an explosive "luidmixture is utilized to break land' -remove'the hard' shell from the 'kerneL--as ydescribed-in an"applca-tion Vfiled by iHarryiB. -Walker, Serial No. "240,223, 'entitled "Method-and apparatus for shellingnuts, filed vNovember 14, y1933.

'In the past, various-'types of mechanical 'de- Aviceshave been-devised to'remove the shells from -nuts 'such as walnuts, but they have generally proved unsatisfactory. *Such prior devices have v'generallybeen operated to apply' a-compressive lforce to the `external surface ofv the nut shell tobreak the shell, and separate Vmeans-have been provided for separating the shell `from the kernel. The operation of such devices has been slow, lineiiicient'and impractical, it having' been im- 'possible Ato. provide a suitable breaking pressure for nut shells of varying degrees of hardness, 'with 'the-undesirable Vresult "that the kernels of 'the nuts are frequently broken ordamaged. It is therefore a primary object of this invention to providean apparatus for-continuously shell- 'ingvnuts at a high rate of speed without damaging the `kernels thereof.

'It has been-found thatby applying a substantially uniform, 'outwardly 'directed Iforce on the interior sur-face iof a nut shell it ispossible to breakandremove'the shell from the nut without damaging the kernel ofthefnut. In the operation of` the'apparatusit 1has proven 'possible to removey the shells from'over sixty per cent of the nuts' treatedtherein withoutdamaging or break- -ing the kernel. EIt is therefore a further object -of the invention lto `prov-ide an apparatus for "subjecting the-shell of anut'toasudden'ly Vapplied -outwardly directed pressure differential sufficient to break `the shell and remove it from `the nut kernel therein.

Another object-ofthe invention is to provide "an apparatus for breakingor removing a shell from a nut which consistsin perforatng the nut, introducing a combustible `fluid into the nut through the perforationfandthen igniting the Amixture to breaker-remove the' shell.

vvvStill anotherobject 'of the invention is toproyvide anapparatus for shelling a nut or other similar harddshelled object as setl forth in the preceding paragraph, in which the entire operation `is automatically"performed within a very short period of time.

Other objects'and'advantagesof the invention `Will -bev evident from lthe-speciiicationf and the drawings;v Whicheare for Ythe purpose of illustration only, and in Which- Fig. 1-isyan elevational'view partly-in section of theA apparatus;

Fig. 2 is l'a planfv-ieW-of the apparatus shown IYinf'Fig.-1, showingfthe hood l5 removed;

l`Fig.v 3f-is-an'-end view of the Amachine flocking the discharge end thereof,-fsaid view-showing lthe ring burnenandhoo'd-IB removed;

4Figfl is an -enlarged cross section taken Aon f line'IV--IVcfv Figi 2; y

Fig. '5 is an `enlarged cross section takenvon lin-ev rV-V`r of Fig.' y2; and

Fig-6 is a side elevation of-a-=walnut showing lthe manner in=which it is cutgby the saw. Y

IReferring to the drawings, a support l0 is shown which maybe la table or bench or other suitable supporting surface, lhaving rigidly-se cured thereto vertically disposed supporting columns Il and I2, respectively,-and-having'their y'upper ends drilled-to -journal --axlesvl' and I5 vof flat'pulley Wheels l1' andv 18.

Secured tothe other -end of the -supportlll are similariA upright supports? and 2 I,V shown indet'ail in Fig.' `3, and -Which are aligned l with thesupportingcolumns Il and-"I2 as shown in "Fig 2. The upright'- supports "2o kand'Zl fare `eaohlforrned With-an open frame l22 suitably Secured to the support Ill, each'frame having a topA cross 'bar "23 Vwhich 'supports abearing i 24. Journaled'in the bearing24 of the upright lsupport A"i is'a'shaft 25,- and journaled in thel bearing 2e of the upright support 2l is a shaft 26, eachof the shafts being connected through suitable bevel gearing 2l to a transverseshaft `28 Which 'is connected through a reductiony gear boXZS of the type Well known in the art to an electricmotor 3@ by a suitable belt and pulley structure. lThe upper end of the shaft 25 has rigidly Xed thereto a drive pulley `33, and the shaftZ has fixed thereto a second drive pulley JM. The drive pulley' 33 isA operatively connected to the pulleywheel' Il by a flatbelt `35, and the drive pulley-Mis connected to the ypulley Wheel I8 by'a'V flat belt 3S. The belts 35 andii are identical in construction and may be formed `from any suitable material. Each belt is faced Withsponge vrubber such as rindicated `at a and Sila, or a similar material, to permit `nuts when placed betWeen'them to be resiliently gripped and Vatthe same time firmly held. As will be noted, the parts are so arranged that the adjacent facesofthe belts' 36 and 36 are parallel 'and' spaced apart a distance such that a nut,

such as a walnut, may be introduced therebetween from a feed table 31 disposed directly below the belts. It is also to be noted that the bevel gearing 21 for the drive pulleys 33 and 34 is so arranged, as is well known in the art, to rotate the drive pulleys in opposite directions so as to move the adjacent portions of the belts 35 and 36 in the same direction.

Also secured to the support I are standards 39 and 40 having slots 4| and 42 therein, respectively. Connected to the standards 39 and 40 and supported thereby is a sub-base 43 having suitable bolts which project through the slots 4| and 42, being secured to the standards by means of nuts 44 and 45 provided therefor. It is to be noted that by loosening the nuts 44 and 45, the sub-base 43 may be raised or lowered to any desired height within the limits of the slots 4| and 42. Fixed to the sub-base 43 is an electric motor 46 having a drive shaft 41 on the end of which is secured a circular saw member 48 of the type will known in the art. Also secured to the sub-base 43, as by bolts 49 and 50, is a track element which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, extends from a point adjacent the circular saw member 48 to a point substantially between the shafts and 26. The track element 5| is provided with a longitudinal bead 52 which extends the length thereof. It will be noted that the circular saw member 4B and the longitudinal bead 52 are in alignment and are positioned approximately midway between the adjacent portions of the belts 35 and 35. Connected to the left end of the track element 5|, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, is -a chute member 53 downwardly inclined therefrom and which may be made either V-shaped or semi-cylindrical. The end of the chute member 53 is provided with a semi-circular guard plate 54 which is positioned directly above an ignition means generally designated at 55.

A plurality of upwardly venting ports 65 are provided in the longitudinal bead 52, and, as shown in Fig. 1, are connected by suitable piping 65 to a source of combustible uid (not shown). It has been found desirable to use a combustible fluid comprised of acetylene and oxygen in a suitable mixture, and it is preferable to provide a mixing valve 61 in the line of the piping B6 in which the oxygen and acetylene may be mixed in suitable proportions, but it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the use of such a combustible fluid and that therefore it may be desirable to dispense with the mixing valve 61 if some other type of fluid is employed.

In operation, the electric motor is energized to rotate the drive pulleys 33 and 34 so as to move the adjacent portions of the belts and 35 in a direction toward the chute member 53. The electric motor 46 is also energized so as to rotate the circular saw member 48 at high speed. Nuts, such as walnuts, are then in troduced in sequence from the feed table 31 and are engaged by the belts 35 and 35 and carried therebetween in contact with the circular saw member 48 which cuts a shallow slot 19 therein. as shown in Fig. 4. The nuts are then conveyed onto the track element 5|, the longitudinal bead 52 entering and closing the slot 1U so as to temporarily seal the slot in each nut. The combustible fluid, such as a mixture of acetylene and oxygen, as before mentioned, is conveyed through the piping 66 to the ports 65, and as each nut passes over these ports it receives a Cil charge of the combustible mixture, the slot immediately thereafter being again sealed by the longitudinal bead 52 for the balance of the travel of the nut along the track element 5|. As each nut comes to the end of the track element 5|, it falls free of the belts 35 and 36 into the downwardly directed chute member 53, hitting the semi-circular guard plate 54 and then dropping vertically downward into the flame maintained by the ring burner 55. As each nut enters the upper zone of the flame, the combustible fluid mixture in the nut is ignited. An explosion of sufficient force to shatter the shell immediately takes place with the result that the Shell bursts f into fragments which are thrown outwardly in the direction of arrows a (see Fig. l), while the meat or kernel of the nut is left intact and drops down in the direction of arrow h through the ring burner into a receptacle 6|. An exterior container 62 receives the shell fragments, and a comparatively clean separation of shell fragments and kernels results. Final cleaning of the kernels to remove any foreign matter is thus readily accomplished.

In actual practice, a small quantity of gas will escape from the ducts 65 whenever they are uncovered by the nuts. Also a small quantity of gas will escape from the nuts themselves as they roll or slide down the trough 53. To prevent any ill effect or annoyance to the operators, a hood 15 is extended over the machine. This hood is connected through a pipe 16 with the suction side of a blower not here shown. A continuous suction is thus maintained under the hood, which will insure continuous removal of the escaping gas and also the products of combustion from the burner ring, and a clean, uncontaminated atmosphere is thus maintained about the machine.

While the slot or cut made in each nut by the circular saw may be made in any part of the shell, it is preferable to feed or deliver the nuts between the belts with the longitudinal axis in dicated by the dotted line -80 (see Fig. 6) pointing in the direction of travel of the belts. Also it is preferable that the ridge 8| surrounding the nut should assume a substantially horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, as the thinnest portion of the shell will in this manner be presented to the saw. Obviously, if the nut were presented so that the saw would have to cut through the ridge, more resistance would be encountered, and while it is not of great importance one way or another, it would be preferable to feed the nuts in the manner described. Plainly speaking, the nuts may be fed between the belts in any position, as, no matter how they are presented to the saw, the saw will slit them. In fact, one of the features of the machine is that exact positioning of the nuts is not necessary. In the present instance, the nuts are hand-fed from the feed table. Hence, it is important that, no matter how the nuts are received, the saw must act on them, but obviously as an operator becomes experienced, positioning of the nuts to proper advantage will sooner or later become a habit.

1t has been previously stated that the subbase 43 which supports the saw and the track element 5| is adjustable so that the saw may be adjusted to regulate the depth of the cut in the shell of the nut. As this is the case, it is also essential that the nuts, when fed between the belts, be properly positioned with relation to the saw or, in other words, the nuts must asfaaasav table assures such` positioning ,'izthatfisnthe feeder merely pushes the nuts along theitablevsurl face :until theyfare:.grippedbetweenfthe' belts.

. decrease thelf deptnof the cut.

Ylli/'hen a ,nutf is :tenga-ged f by sthezfsaw, :there iis an' upward? thrust. yHence,-rrne'ans. must: besprovided for preventing =upwardfrmovement .a of the belt sV and the nuts `gripped :betWeenf-them .das :they pass runderv the saw. "This zisfaccomplished-by providing ;side-guides.;82; and'flange guidese (sec- Figs., 2; and 4) These-:side guides :extend from a point, adjacentv theffsavv` toca fpointzadjacent the discharge end of the machinaas shown in Fig. 2. fvThesange guides B3 are disposed at a4 point adjacent the saw. These flanges prevent an upward thrust of the belts and nuts when passing the saw, while the remaining portions of the side guides prevent spreading of the belts until the point for discharging the nuts is reached.

Although a hand feed has been described, an automatic feed may obviously be employed. The faster or more rapidly the nuts are fed, the better the machine operates, as the escape of gas from the oriiices 65 will be reduced, as will the escape of gas from the nuts after they have been charged with gas.

In actual practice the pulley supports H-i2 and 2li-2| will be laterally adjustable to vary the spacing between the parallel belts so that nuts of varying size may be accommodated. This lateral adjustment is very desirable, since it requires considerable lateral pressure from the rubber-faced belts against the nuts to hold them sufficiently rigid while they are being cut by the saw. If a very large nut should be followed by a small nut, there would obviously be difficulty. Accordingly, in a cracking plant the nuts would be graded to size and the machine would be adjusted to the required .distance between the parallel belts to insure sufficient pressure to hold the nuts rigid during the sawing operation. Lateral adjustment may be obtained in various ways, a simple method being to form slots 92 in the table I U or in the lianges of the bearing standards through which the fastening bolts extend, these slots being of sufficient length to permit the required lateral adjustment.

While certain features of the present invention have been more or less specifically described and illustrated, it is nevertheless to be understood that changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, and that the materials and nish of the several parts employed may be such as the judgment and experience of the manufacturer may dictate or other conditions demand.

Having thus described and illustrated the invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a machine for perforating a nut and for charging the interior thereof with an explosive gas mixture, means for igniting the explosive gas mixture to explode the nut and for simultaneously separating from the kernel the major portion of the fragments of the shell resulting from the exp-losion, said means comprising a burner which maintains a flame area, means for dropping the nuts through the flame area tol ignite .1 .and explode; .the :explosivegascmixture .zwithin f. the*yshellrwithout'lsubstaritially :injuring *the .fkernel, said-.explosionszcausing. the tmajor; portionY of .theltshell .tozbe brokenzinto small .".fragmentsvand ithe major portion tof-.the fragments tovbe'projected radially 4awayfromthe 'flame area,.and^.a

' container disposed zxbelow. ithe ame I,areariinto which kernels ifdrop.

" 2.- .In a machine ...for p'erforatingza;nut andi-for charging the interior. thereof iwithan-z explosive gas "mixture, .'meansfxfor ignitingzthe .explosive Agas'm-ixture to Yexplodeithernutiand for/.simultaneously .separating fromlathe'"y kernel the-z major Aportion of f the V'fragments of the shell resulting f from the explosion,-:said..means comprising a ring-shaped burner forming aniinwardly directed flamesmeans for dropping.-thesnutsv centrally `of ithe:z burner 1 and zthrough :theiiame to A'ignite vandfexplode :the explosivewgasi mixturei within-.the shell :without :substantially :injuring ".the kerneL said-explosionw causing :the-major fportion 1 of :the shell to besbroken intozsmall fragments: and the major portion .of the fragments to be projected radially away from the burner, and a container disposed below the burner into which the kernels drop.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of: a circular saw member, means for rotating said saw member, conveyor means for conveying a nut into engagement with said saw member so as to cut a slot in said nut, and a track element having one end aligned with said saw member, and having a longitudinal bead formed thereon adapted to close and substantially seal the slot formed in the nut by said saw member, said 'conveyor means conveying the nut into engagement with and longitudinally along said track element so that said bead enters and substantially seals said slot throughout the travel of the nut over the track element.

4. In a machine for perforating a nut and for charging the interior thereof with an explosive mixture, means for igniting the explosive mixture to explode the nut and for simultaneously separating the major portion of the fragments of the shell resulting from the explosion from the kernel, said means Icomprising a ring-shaped burner forming an inwardly directed name, means for dropping the nuts centrally of the burner into `the name to ignite and explode the explosive mixture within the shell, an exterior container to receive the major portion of the fragments of the shell when the nut explodes, and a second container disposed below the ringshaped burner, into which the kernels drop.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a 'circular saw member, means for rotating said saw member, conveyor means for conveying a nut into engagement with said saw member so as to cut a slot in said nut, a track element having one end aligned with said saw member, and having a longitudinal bead formed thereon adapted to close and substantially seal the slot `formed in the nut by said saw member, said conveyor means conveying the nut into engagement With and longitudinally along said track element, so that said bead enters and substantially seals said slot throughout the travel of the nut over the track element, said track element and bead having a passage formed therein. communicating at one end with the slot in the nut when the nut passes over said passage, a source of explosive mixture communicating with the opposite end of said passage so as to introduce the explosive mixture into the nut when it passes over the upper end of the passage, said bead sealing the slot in the nut after it leaves said passage, so as `to retain the explosive mixture, said lconveyor means discharging the nut when the end of the track and bead is reached, and permitting the nut to fall by gravity, a ringshaped burner forming an inwardly-directed flame through which the nut drops when released by the conveyor, said flame gniting the explosive mixture Within the shell and exploding the nut, a container exterior of the ring-shaped burner to receive the major portion of the fragments of the shell of the nut When the nut explodes, and a second container disposed below the ring-shaped burner, into which the kernel of the nut drops.

6. In an automatic nut shelling machine the combination of two suitably supported, opposed, parallel, endless conveyors between Which the nuts to be held are held and carried, a saw arranged in the path of the traveling nuts to perforate the nuts, means to inject an explosive gas into the perforated nut, means to close the perforation during further advance of the nut to retain a quanti-ty of the explosive gas in the nut, and ignition means to which the gas filled nut is delivered.

7. In a nut shelling machine the combination of nut-carrying means consisting of a pair of endless, parallel, spaced belts having adjacent resilient nut-engaging surfaces, means for supporting the backs and top edges of the belts when a nut is in position between the belts, perforating means between the belts for perforating the shells of the passing nuts, means for injecting an explosive gas into the perforated nuts, means temporarily to close said perforations after the gas has been injected to retain a portion of the gas within the nuts, and ignition means to which the gas filled nuts are delivered by the belts and the shell burst.

ROY BAINER. CHARLES E. BARBEE. 

